Old resume 'rules' aren't always to be followed

Dear Sam: I have always taught that a resume should be one page if at all possible. Is this still true? Wouldn't it be better for a resume to be two pages if you need to include information that is vital that won't fit on one page? -- Valerie

Dear Valerie: Readers may think I made this question up, Valerie, as your query is music to my ears. You are so on-target and absolutely correct, the one-page resume rule has not been a rule in at least a decade. Unfortunately however there are still people out there giving "advice" to overly trim your resume to make it as succinct and brief as possible. Not only does that reduce your ability to catch a reader's attention through the presentation of a robust, value-added career, but it also reduces your keyword relevance by cutting your content for no good reason.

Having said that, there are indeed times when a resume is best at one page in length. I recently worked with a client who had a 30+-year career with one employer, essentially performing in the same role throughout his tenure. Presenting his career on one page created a very neat, easy-to-understand, and high-impact picture of his candidacy. Even though the "rule" would say to use two or three pages to explore his candidacy, his resume looked far more impactful as a one-page document. So, I suppose the takeaway is to not restrict yourself to a "one-page rule" that no longer exists, but to select a length that positions your candidacy in the best possible light.

Dear Sam: I recently relocated for my husband's career, and thus left my junior high school teaching role I held for 14+ years. I have since been struggling to find a new career path leveraging my transferable skills. I feel I have two problems. First, my resume is full of teaching experiences but I do not feel as though they are highlighting what I am capable of accomplishing in other areas. My second problem is that I really do not know what my next career path should be. I am sure this is a common problem for retired educators looking for part-time work opportunities so I was hoping you could shed some light on what I could do differently. -- Melissa

Dear Melissa: You are exactly right, that is a common dilemma I hear from educators seeking to transition their skills into a different field. The key to crafting a successful presentation of your background is understanding the needs of your target audience. Without the knowledge of whom you are trying to attract to your resume, you can't possibly know what skills, experiences, abilities and credentials to put on display most prominently.

For instance, if you were going to pursue a training role we would want to highlight very different aspects of your teaching career than those we would showcase if you were transitioning say into an administrative position. Step one is truly figuring out where you fit, what you are qualified for and what opportunities exist in your new geographic location. Once you do this you can begin to review job postings of interest and start to understand the "language" they are speaking. Only then will you be able to craft a resume that gets traction in out saturated and competitive job market.

Samantha Nolan is a Certified Professional Resume Writer and owner of Ladybug Design, a full-service resume-writing firm. Do you have a resume or job search question for Dear Sam? Reach Samantha at dearsam@ladybug-design.com. For more about Sam's resume writing services, visit ladybug-design.com or call 614-570-3442 or 1-888-9-LADYBUG (1-888-952-3928).